Coil unreeler



April .1960 K. A. FALCK-PEDERSEN 2,933,261

COIL UNREELER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 11, 1954 April 19, 1960 K. A. FALCK-PEDERSEN 3 COIL UNREELER Filed May 11, 1954 3. Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR- IQZZ @FalciPedersem I A Q April 19, 1960 K. A. FALCK-PEDERSEN 2,933,251

' COIL UNREELER Filed May 11, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR.

United States Patent 2,933,261 COIL UNREELER Kiel] A. Falck-Pedersen, Acme Steel Company, Illinois Park Forest, 11]., assignor to Chicago, Ill., a corporation of This invention relates to improvements in coil unreelers for use in unwinding strip material, such as steel strapping, from a coil as it is used.

Steel strapping and other such binding materials, commonly employed in reinforcing boxes, packages and other load units, are usually supplied to the consumer in coils from which the strapping is withdrawn as it is used. Usually, at the place of use, the coil is mounted on a rotary coil holder to facilitate its rotation as it is unwound and the strap is either manually pulled from the coil or is withdrawn by separate power driven apparatus; such as a box strapping machine, by which it is consumed. Both methods have resulted, in difficulties because of the overrunning of the; coil after the intentional withdrawal of the strapping ceases. Thus, when the leading end of thestrap is stopped, the coil convolutions expand with resulting interference with the operation of the unreeler or other apparatus or the strap wedges against the guides and resists rotation of the coil. These difiiculties have been overcome to some extent by the use of a brake, responsive to the pull on the strap, which stops the rotation of the coil a short interval after the strap is released and, also, by the use of a continuously operating brake.

short interval after the pull on the strap is released, however, and the second type is objectionable because of the force which must be applied to rotate the reel. Other attempts to solve the" successful. I

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a coil unreeler in which the tendency of the reel to overcome by simultaneously driving both the strap end and the'coil' at the same linear speed by the application of power and simultaneously braking both the strap and the coil to stop' their movement when the desired portion of strap has been unreeled. A further object of the invention is to provide a power driven unreeler in which thejdriving the periphery of the coil at proceeds and also to the end portion of the strap being withdrawn, in such a manner that the strap on the coil and the end portion are moved with the same peripheral speed and are simultaneously stopped, so that overrunall times as the unreeling ning is'rninimized. A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for starting and stopping the unreeling apparatus and simultaneously controlling the applicationof the brakingmeans. Still another object of the invention is to provide means actuated when the unreeling operation is arrested for'cutting' oi the por tion of'strapwhich has been withdrawn. Other objects relate to various featuresof construction and arrangement which will appear more fully hereinafter.

The nature of theinvention will be understood from the following specification takenwith the accompanying drawings in which i one embodiment is illustrated; In the drawings,

The first type of' brake permits some overrunning of the strap during a problem have not been entirely force is applied directly to Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the improved coil unreeler of the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of the coil unreeler illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged longitudinal vertical section through the lower Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating the means for driving the coii and the strap and the means for cutting off the strap when a desired portion has been withdrawn;

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged end elevation of the strap cutting device illustrated in the lower right-hand corner of Fig. 3, with the part thereof broken away;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the driving motor with parts thereof broken away to illustrate the brake mechanism by which the rotation of the motor is controlled; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the electric circuit connections of the driving motor and the electromagnet of the brake mechanism.

As illustrated in the drawings, the invention comprises a frame or base 14} upon which there are mounted two upwardly extending parallel side plates 11 and 12 which are spaced apart to receive between them the coil 13 of metal strapping or the like which is to be unreeled. A housing 14 is carried by the base 10 and extends up wardly at one side of the side plate 11 to contain a portion of the operating mechanism. The coil 13 is supported by two rollers 15 and 16 which are mounted between the side plates to be engaged by the lower peripheral portion of the coil. One roller 15 is mounted upon a shaft 17 journaled in bearings carried by the side plates 11 and 12 and the other roller 16 is mounted upon a shaft 13 which is journaled in a U-shaped bracket 19 pivoted upon a shaft 20 extending between the side plates 11 and 12. Each side plate is provided with recesses or apertures in which are located three guide rollers 22 which have their shafts 23 journaled in bearings 24 secured to the side plates so that these rollers act as idlers to contact the sides of the coil 13.and maintain it in position as it rotates'on the rollers 15 and 1-6. The coil 13 is normally retained in position between the side plates on the rollers 15 and 16 by a hood 25 comprising triangular side members 25a which are pivoted at 26 on the side plates 11 and 12. The hood 25 is adapted to besupported in the operating position illustrated in Fig. 1 by means of stop members 27 which are secured to the side plates and the arcuate outer wall 25b thereof is 'provided with a handle 25c by which it may be moved to and from a retracted position where one of the side members 25a rests upon the housing 14.

The roller 16 which helps support the coil 13 is itself partially supported by a driving roll 39, shown particularly in Fig. 3, which is mounted upon a shaft 31 adapted to be driven through speeed change gearing 32 by an electric motor 33. The driving roll 3% is engaged on its under side by the end portion 13a of the strap which is being withdrawn from the coil 13 and this end portion of the strap is maintained in contact with the driving roll 30 by an idler roller 35 which is mounted on a shaft 36 journaled in a bracket 37 mounted on a shaft 38 extending between the side plates 11 and 12. The frame 37 extends rearwardly and terminates in a flange 3% which is pivotally connected to a coil spring 4%. This spring extends upwardly and has its upper end secured:

part of the apparatus illustrated hr with the driving 37 if there is any slack in the strap when the driving roll 3% is not in operation. 1

After passing between the driving roll 30 and the idler roller 35, while moving in the direction of the arrow 44, the strap portion 13a extends through a longitudinal slot in a guide member 45 mounted between the side plates and then extends through a shearing device 46, shown in Figs. 3 and 4, which comprises an inner stationary shearing die 47 and an outer pivoted shearing die 48. The intermediate part of the stationary die 47 is substantially semi-circular in cross section and it is provided at its ends with supporting arms or trunnions 47a which are clamped in the supporting posts 49 carried by the base 10. These posts have upper removable portions 49a which are secured to the lower parts 49b by clamping screws 50 which cause the die 47 to be held in a fixed stationary position with its semi-circular surface directed downwardly. The movable cutting die 48 is journaled upon the stationary die 47 between the posts 49 from which it is spaced by washers 51. The movable die comprises arcuate portions 48a which are secured to the end portions of the upper part of the die by means of clamping screws 52 which also secure in place the flanges 54a of an operating lever 54 by which the movable die 48 may be tilted about the stationary die 47. The die members 47 and 48 are so formed that they provide a slot through which the strap portion 13a extends after passing through the guide member 45 and the margins of the die members form trans verse cutting edges 47b and 48b which are adapted to cooperate when the lever 54 is moved in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The lever 54 is provided with an upwardly directed extension 54b terminating in a handle 55 which may be engaged by the operator for actuating the shearing device and also for the purpose of controlling the operation of the driving motor 33 as hereinafter described. The lever extension 54b is pivoted at 56 on the lower lever 54 and the two parts are secured together by a setscrew 58 which may engage any one of a plurality of apertures 540 in the lever extension 54b and to extend into a threaded aperture in the lower part 54 so that the relative angular positions of the two lever portions may be regulated to secure the angular movement of the cutting die 48 which is' required to cut ofi" the strap while at the same time permitting the lever extension 5417 to control the operation of the motor as hereinafter described. This relative angu' larity of the lever portions may require adjustment from time to-time after the die members 47 and 48 have been sharpened, thereby altering the spaced relation of the cutting edges of the dies.

The electric connections to the motor 33 extend from connections not shown through a switch 60 which is mounted on the inner wall of the housing 14 and provided with a spring operated actuating lever 61 positioned on the outside of the housing 14 and adapted to be actuated by a finger 62 extending laterally from the lever extension 54b. When the lever 54b is in the position shown in Fig. 1 the circuit is closed and extended through a cable 63 to a switch box 64 containing switching mechanism by which connections are established to a cable 65 extending to the motor 33, thereby causing the motor to drive the roll 30 and thereby rotate the reel 13 in the direction of the arrow 66 while at the same time moving the end portion 13a of the strap in the direction of the arrow 44. Since the outer convolution of the coil 13 is driven directly by the roll 30 through the intermediate roller 16 and since the end'portion 13a is also driven by the roll 30, it follows that both the end of the strap being withdrawn andthe periphery of the coil are driven at the same linear speed so that there is little possibility of slack being formed as the strap is being withdrawn or of any necessity for slippage of the coil 13 on its supporting rollers in order to maintain the supply of the portion 13a which is being withdrawn. This condition is maintained as the coil 13 is gradually unwound, regard- 4 less of its outer diameter, since the outer convolutions are always in contact with the supporting roller 16 through which the driving force is applied.

When the coil unreeler is not in use, the finger 62 on the lever extension 54b normally rests against the arm 61 of the switch 60, the spring by which this arm is actuated being strong enough so that the lever is supported without causing the switch to be actuated. A manual thrust on the handle in a counterclockwise direction is therefore necessary in order to close the switch and cause the actuation of the motor 33. When the desired portion of strapping has been withdrawn from the coil 13, the lever 54b is moved in a clockwise direction from the positions previously occupied by it, thereby permitting the switch arm 61 to move outwardly and open the switch 60, thereby arresting the operation of the motor 33. At the same time, the movement of the lever 54b in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, causes the shearing ,dies 47 and 48 to cut ofi the strap as previously described.

When the lever 54b is actuated to permit the opening of the switch and to cause the opening of the circuit of the motor 33, the driving roll 30 is at the same time brought to rest through the actuation of the braking mechanism which is applied directly to the shaft of the motor as illustrated paritcularly in Fig. 5. As there shown, the casing 70 of the motor 33 has mounted on the end portion thereof through a bracket 71 an annular brake shoe 72 which is stationary and which is adapted to be engaged on its inner side by the outer face 73a of a brake disk 73 which is splined upon the shaft 74 of-the motor. The outer face 73a and the inner face 73b of the.

disk 73 are formed of non-metallic braking material such as leather, asbestos or the like and the inner face 73b is adapted to contact with the outer face of a circular brake armature 75 mounted to slide longitudinally on the shaft 74 of the motor and held against rotation by pins 76 which'are fixed in the end Wall 77 of the motor casing and which engage apertures in the armature 75 and in the brake shoe 72. Coil springs 78 mounted on the pins 76 normally move the armature 75 and the brake disk 73 endwise of the motor shaft in order to cause contact between the shoe 72 and the face 73a of the brake disk as Well as contact between the inner face 73b of the brake disk and the outer face of the armature 75. When the parts are in these relative positions, the motor shaft isheld against rotation and this condition is automatically brought about when the circuit of the motor is opened by the opening of the switch 60 because of the simultaneous release of electromagnets 80, which are energized,

when the motor 33 is in operation, to retract the armature 75 from the braking position.

These electromagnets 80 are mounted upon .the end wall 77 of the motor and comprise windings 81 which extend around the laminated field pieces 82. When the windings 81 are energized the field pieces 82 attract the armature plugs 83 which are secured in the face of the brake armature 75 thereby retracting the armature to permit'the rotation of the motor. This condition is brought about simultaneously with the closing of the switch 60 and the actuation of the motor 33 and, when the desired length of strapping has been withdrawn and the switch 60 is opened, the magnetic braking devices are simultaneously deenergized so that the springs 78 promptly move the armature 75 to the braking position shown inFig. 5, thereby bringing about an immediate stoppage of the rotation of the driving roll 30 so that there is no overrunning of the coil 13 and no slack produced in the strapmagnets 80 which are connected in parallel. The other terminals of the electromagnets are connected through the field winding 33a and the armature 33b of the motor 33 to the other line conductor 88.

Although one form of the invention has been shown and described by way of illustration, it will be understood that it may be constructed in various other embodiments which come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for unreeling a coil of convoluted strapping, a frame, means carried by said frame for engagement with the outer convolution of such coil for rotatably supporting the same and including a support roll having an axis of rotation substantially parallel to the rotational axis of such coil, a drive roll for rotatably driving said support roll and being journalled for rotation in said frame about an axis substantially parallel to the rotational axis of said support roll, an idler roll journalled for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to the rotational axis of said drive roll and being supported by said frame in alignment with said drive roll for movement toward and away from the peripheral surface thereof to permit the placement of the free end portion of the outer convolution of such coil therebetween, means for biasing said idler roll toward said drive roll to urge such free end portion of a coil into frictional driving engagement with the drive roll, and motor means for selectively rotating said drive roll to rotate the successive outer convolutions of such coil and to advance the free end portion thereof at substantially the same linear velocity.

2. In apparatus for unreeling a coil of convoluted strapping, a frame, means carried by said frame for engagement with the outer convolution of such coil for rotatably supporting the same and including a support roll having an axis of rotation substantially parallel to the rotational axis of such coil, a drive roll for rotatably driving said support roll and being journalled for rotation in said frame about an axis substantially parallel to the rotational axis of said support roll, an idler roll journalled for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to the rotational axis of said drive roll and being supported by said frame in alignment with said drive roll for movement toward and away from the peripheral surface thereof to permit the placement of the free end portion of the outer convolution of such coil therebetween, means for biasing said idler roll toward said drive roll to urge said free end portion of a coil into frictional driving engagement with the drive roll, motor means for rotating said drive roll to rotate the successive outer convolutions of such coil and to advance the free end portion thereof at substantially the same linear velocity, control apparatus for selectively energizing said motor means to so rotate said drive roll, and brake apparatus for said motor means and being responsive to said control apparatus for automatically braking said motor means when said control apparatus deenergizes the same and for releasing said motor means when said control apparatus energizes the same.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which said motor meanscomprises an electric motor, in which said control apparatus comprises a switch-equipped circuit therefor, and in which said brake apparatus comprises a shoe and an electro-magnetically controlled armature, said armature being biased into engagement with said shoe, such biasing force being overcome by the electromagnetic control of the armature when :said motor is energized.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the peripheral surface of said support roll frictionally engages the peripheral surface of said drive roll to effect the driving relation therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,020,889 Hofer Nov. 12, 1935 2,058,329 Littell Oct. 20, 1936 2,180,903 Jensen Nov. 21, 1939 2,227,387 Borton Dec. 31, 1940 2,443,763 Dahlgren et a1. June 22, 1948 2,506,354 Green May 2, 1950 2,659,435 Mansson Nov. 17, 1953 2,675,187 Childress Apr. 13, 1954 2,757,880 De La Motte Aug. 7, 1956 

